SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Some Christian denominations (and even some Catholics) like to call this coming Sunday "Transfiguration Sunday", as the Gospel for Second Sunday of Lent gives an account (this year, that of St. Mark) of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (the feast of the Transfiguration, incidentally, is August 6).  This weekend's offertory hymn is very closely related with the Gospel of this day, while still keeping with the Lenten Season.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sung Ordinary of the Mass and Gospel Acclamation same as last Sunday.

Numbers given are in the maroon hymnal ("The Hymnal").

Entrance hymn: We sing the praise of him who died, #340 (Listen)

Psalm 116: I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living, music by Sam Schmitt

Offertory hymn: The glory of these forty days, #61 (Listen)

Communion anthem: Soul of my Savior, music by William Maher

- arrangement from the Pius X Hymnal, 1953

Meditation hymn: Let thy blood in mercy poured, #190

Recessional hymn: There is a green hill far away, #65, first tune (Listen)

Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY I of LENT and STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Well, due to the snowstorm, the putting away of the "A-word" with a bang didn't happen.  Let's pray we have no snow.  In fact, I for one would hope this region will give up snow for Lent.

First Sunday of Lent
Saturday II-21 at 5 PM; Sunday II-22 at 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM

Sung Ordinary of the Mass (much of this is quite familiar at this point):
- Kyrie: Messa Populare "Laus Tibi Christe", music by Federico Caudana
- Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII (the simple chants we normally use in Advent and Lent)

- Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world, for by your cross and resurrection you have set us free.  Music is a chant melody adapted from that of the Latin counterpart, Salvator mundi, salva nos as a set of chants compiled by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (which we musicians often refer to simply as "The ICEL Chants") upon creating the translation of Holy Mass that we use today.  We introduced this for Lent last year, but here is a reminder of how to sing it.

- Amen: based on the beginning of the Sanctus of Mass VIII

Gospel Acclamation: Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, based on the Mode I Vexilla Regis, adapted by yours truly

- By the way, notice that I don't list the Gospel Acclamation (or the "A-word" outside of Lent and Passiontide) as part of the Ordinary of the Mass.  Many composers, since around the mid 1970's, when writing a Mass Ordinary setting, tend to add an Alleluia/Gospel Acclamation to the Ordinary, and oftentimes with a universal versicle or a few "seasonal versicles" (often which don't even line up with the Scripture of the day).  I, too, as recent as 2000, got lured into that habit (though I didn't write versicles, just a Psalm tone to sing the appointed versicle to).  In all actuality, the Alleluia/Gospel Acclamation has an assigned versicle for each Sunday and feast, thus making it a Mass Proper and not part of the Mass Ordinary (the Ordinary has a fixed text for every Mass, while the Proper varies from day to day).

All numbers (unless noted) are in the Maroon hymnal.

Entrance hymn: Praise to the Holiest in the height, #343, first tune

Psalm 25: Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant, music by J. Robert Carroll (response) and Joseph Gelineau, SJ (versicles), Worship #788

Offertory hymn: Lord, who throughout these forty days, #59

Communion anthem: My song is love unknown, music by John Ireland

- Though being sung as a choir anthem, you may join in - Worship #439

Meditation hymn: When I survey the wondrous cross, #337

Recessional hymn: Jesus, Name all names above, #342

Stations of the Cross

Tuesdays in Lent and Passiontide at 6:30 PM

February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31

Click here for format and music.  Also, note the time change.  The link is to last year's format, which is the same except for the time.  The time this year is 6:30 PM.

Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY VI and ASH WEDNESDAY

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday VI of Ordered Time
I-14 at 5 PM; I-15 at 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM

Being the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday (when Lent begins), we sing our last Alleluias before putting it away "for a time", during that time we enter the penitential season of Lent (in Latin, Quadragesima, that is, literally, "40th", or liturgically, "40 days").  So, it is customary to get all the alleluias out that we can, not just before the Gospel, but in our hymnody.  This Sunday, three of our hymns, plus the Communion anthem, are chocked full of alleluias.

Ordinary of the Mass and Alleluia: same as the previous five Sundays

Hymn numbers are in the red Worship hymnal.

Entrance hymn: Alleluia! song of gladness, #413 (Listen)

- Probably the most practical of Alleluia hymns for this day, as it also prepares us for Lent.

Psalm 32: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation, music by yours truly

Offertory hymn: Christ is the King, #500

Communion anthem: Festive Alleluia, by Gordon Young

Meditation hymn: To Christ, the Prince of Peace, #491

Recessional hymn: Ye watchers and ye holy ones, #707

Ash Wednesday

I-18 at 9 AM, 12 Noon, and 6:30 PM

Ordinary of the Mass:

- Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII (the simplest of chant Masses)

- Memorial Acclamation C: Save us Savior of the world, chant setting from ICEL

- Amen: melody based on the Sanctus of Mass VIII

Gospel Acclamation: Gospel Acclamation "Vexilla Regis", music by yours truly, based on the Passion chant Vexilla Regis Prodeunt (Mode I) (The royal banners forward go)

Entrance hymn: Lord, who throughout these forty days, Maroon #59

Psalm 51: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned, music by Providence's own C. Alexander Peloquin, Worship #1091

Offertory hymn: Our Father, we have wandered, Worship #755

- Tune is the same as O Sacred Head, surrounded.

Communion hymn: Attende, Domine, Worship #414

Music during the Imposition of Ashes: Parce, Domine, music by Carlo Rossini

Peace,

BMP

THE THREE-DAY WEEKEND

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sung Ordinary of the Mass and Alleluia: same as last week

First Friday - Sacred Heart Community Mass
II-6-15 at 6 PM

Entrance hymn: O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine, on sheets provided
Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation, music by Richard Proulx and Joseph Gelineau, SJ
- See Worship, #871 (Sunday III, Year A).  It's the same Psalm.
Offertory anthem: Cor Jesu Trinitatis, tune: altered form of Gott Soll Gepriesen.
Communion anthem: Panis Angelicus, sung to a tune of Hungarian origin
- I discovered this gem in the 1953 Pius X Hymnal.
Recessional hymn: To Jesus' Heart, all-burning, on sheets provided

Sunday V of Ordered Time
II-7-15 at 5 PM; II-8-15 at 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM
All numbers given are in the red Worship hymnal.

Entrance hymn: Sing praise to God who reigns above, #528
Psalm 147: Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted, music by yours truly
Offertory hymn: The King of Love my shepherd is, #609
Communion anthem: Adoro Te, O Panis Caelice, music originated in Louvain, Belgium

- Translation:  (V/.) I adore you, O heavenly bread, O Lord, O God most great. (R/.) Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy for ever. To you always be glory Sacred be the sacrifice. (V/.) We are your servants, O God, look upon us, and always renew your grace. (R/.)

Meditation hymn: How good the name of Jesus sounds, #610
Recessional hymn: Jesus shall reign wheree'er the sun, #492

Peace,
BMP